Need opinions on purchase of speakers?

brasil · February 2003

Hi, I am new here and need your expert opinions. This is the system that I had, but I was unhappy and sent it back to Crutchfield for an upgrade:

4 Polk RTI 25 (Front and surrounds)
Polk PSW 650 (which I kept)
Polk CSI 30 center (undecided)

I was unhappy with the performance of the RTI 25's because they lack the midbass and loudness I was looking for main front speakers, and they did not work too well for a surround setup. I had to place them on the side of the sofa (speaker stands) since there is no room behind. I can't drill any holes in the wall because I live in a apartment. The system is on the living room with vaulted ceilings. My receiver is an Onkyo TRX 600 (80 x 6 full bandwith rated)
Here are my options:

1)
Polk RTI 38 up front
Polk CSI 30 center channel
Polk FXI 50 for the surrounds
Polk PSW 650 subwoofer

OR
2)
Polk RTI 38 up front
Polk CSI 40 center
Polk FXI 30 for the surrounds
Polk PSW 650 subwoofer

I am leaning towards set up #1 because I think that the CSI 40 will outpower the RTI 38. It can handle a lot more power than the RTi 38 and plays at higher decibels. I think it is best suited for tower front speakers. Will the FXI 50 outpower the RTI 38"s and draw too much attention as surround speakers? If I go with route #1 I have to purchase the FXI 50 instead of the FXI 30 in order to qualify for Polk's $200 discount. Please give me some advise. Thanks!

Frank Z · February 2003

Option 1 looks like a winner. You're right on target with your concerns about the CS40/RTi38 combo.

brasil · February 2003

Any more opinions?

hoosier21 · February 2003

option 1 plus the CSI40

brasil · February 2003

hoosier, so then you would recommend option 2, not 1 right?
The decision is made on the RTI 38 up front. The question is wheather to keep the CSI 30 up front or u[grade to the 40 but have FXI 30 out back instead of the FXI 50's?

brasil · February 2003

My concern is that the CSI 40 would be playing quite a bit louder than the RTI 38's, thus overpowering them . The CSI 40 handles quite a bit more power and plays at higher decibles.

shack · February 2003

CSi40 - Center
RTi38 - Front
FXi50 - Surround
PSW650 - Sub

Same drivers and tweeters all around. The center will not overpower the fronts, besides you can set them at whatever level works. The 40 is slightly more efficient (not louder) than the 38s and I doubt that the power handling will ever come into play. Your center carries the bulk of the info. Get a Rat Shack SPL meter and set it up and you should have a seamless front soundstage.

brasil · February 2003

Shack thanks for the advise, but please refer to my first post. I can only do #1 or #2. I returned my 4 RTI 25's to crutchfield and kept the CSI 30 and PSW 650. AT the moment I only want to spend enough for either one of the Two possible setups in my first post.

shack · February 2003

#2 then

brasil · February 2003

I need more input in this matter. Please speak up!

kberg · February 2003

Would considering the purchase of a rear center channel at the same time affect your decision in any way? Since you have the Onkyo 600, why not take advantage of 6.1 surround right away?

I don't believe it is necessary to have the same size drivers all around, but I am a firm believer that it is critical to at least have the same size drivers in the front soundstage and the same size drivers in the rear soundstage.

Hope that helps.

rwrvpem · February 2003

I would go with option #2. I have the older CS400i and it is much better at reproducing vocals and making them sound lifelike than the less expensive models. Don't worry about the center channel overpowering the rest of the speakers. In home theater, the center channel is supposed to do most of the work. I would recomend getting a setup disc and a decibel meter. If you do that, you should be golden. Good luck and definitely listen to the CSi 40, I think you will be better with that one.

Rick

brasil · February 2003

Berg, I don't have the room for a rear surround speaker. The wall is directly behind the sofa. The two 5 1/4 drivers from the CSI 30 that I have will produce enough midrange to keep up with the single 6 1/2 inch woofer of each RTI 38 right? If I get the CSI 40, won't the dual 6 1/2 drivers overwelm the RTI 38's?

brasil · February 2003

I have read that you want your speakers as evenly matched as possible as far as power handling and such. That is what is on my mind as far as the CSI 40 being too much speaker for the RTI 38's.

brasil · February 2003

I see most of you who have the CSI 40 have tower front speakers instead of bookshelf ones

kberg · February 2003

As I said, I think the most important thing to consider is to match the drivers of the front soundstage. No, I don't think the CSi40 will overpower the RTi38's, as each speaker has the same size drivers, and proper calibration with the Avia or Sound & Vision disc with an SPL meter should do the trick just fine. But you *may* not get the bass response you'd like from the RTi38's as much as the floorstanding models - even though that's the sub's primary responsibility.

shack · February 2003

Brasil, you have asked the same question about the CSi40 overpowering the Rti38s. 4 say get the 40 and 1 sorta answers what you seem to want to hear...ie: the 40 is too much for the 38. I don't think that is the case and Polk doesn't think that is the case (From Polk's System builder):

Front: RTi38
Center: CSi40
Surround: FXi50
Subwoofer: PSW505

You asked for opinions....I say get the 40...4 to 1 say get the 40...however,its your $...get what you want!

brasil · February 2003

OK! My last question is the following. If I get the CSI 40 with the RTI 38's I won't be able to afford the FXI 50. WIll the FXI 30 be OK for this setup, or should I stick with option #1?

kberg · February 2003

brazil,

Assuming you want RTi38's, I think "shack's" system recommendation is a good one. As a side note, I considered driver size when I chose the FXi30 surrounds and CSi30 rear center for the rear soundstage. If I bought the FXi50's, I'd feel compelled to buy a second CSi40 as a rear center to match, but I couldn't justify the cost and the need to have that CSi40 beast of a center channel for a rear center at this time, since *currently*, the rear center channel gets the least workout of all of the speakers.

fort · February 2003

RTi38 works well with CSi40. I had CSi30 as front center before, replaced it with CSi40 and moved it to the rear center. Now I have CSi40, RTi38x2, RTi28x2, CSi30, TX-SR600, HSU-VTF2. Simply adjust the front center level to -1 and the rest to 0. RTi38 timbre-matches CSi40 better. Could have bought RTi58's if Polk made them. I just don't have room for floor-standers right now. Hope this helps.

shack · February 2003

WIll the FXI 30 be OK for this setup

Yes

MichaelJ · March 2003

Originally posted by shack
Brasil, you have asked the same question about the CSi40 overpowering the Rti38s. 4 say get the 40 and 1 sorta answers what you seem to want to hear...ie: the 40 is too much for the 38. I don't think that is the case and Polk doesn't think that is the case (From Polk's System builder):

Front: RTi38
Center: CSi40
Surround: FXi50
Subwoofer: PSW505

You asked for opinions....I say get the 40...4 to 1 say get the 40...however,its your $...get what you want!

Shack ... your note came up when I did a search on PSW505 ... I just ordered a CSi40 and two FXi50's. I was going to buy the PSW550 for a sub, but noticed the PSW404 at the store ... the 404 has a larger drive, more power, and costs less than the 550 ... while talking with the salesman, we did a search and found that he could also order a 505, which is not listed on Polk's web site product listing. I have not yet made up my mind on which sub-woofer.
My front speakers are 12 year old RTA15T's (one tweater, surrounded by four mid-range's, plus a woofer and passive driver) ... these speakers put out a lot of bass, so if I am to buy a sub-woofer, it will need to put out very low frequencies to add to the total listening experience.
I was wondering if you could tell me the specs of the 505, like frequency range, power, and size, and your opinion of the 505 as it sounds with your current system. And if you compared the 505 to other sub-woofers what made you decide on the 505.
Thanks ................ MichaelJ

MxStYlEpOlKmAn · March 2003

Get the CSi40, you can always turn the center down. The CSi30 (cs245i) is a good center, but It lacks alot and leaves alot to be wanted.

mhw58 · March 2003

I agree that you should use aCSi40 or 400 i as your center
rather than the 30. Huge difference and a good center channel
is the key to a good HT setup. I recommend you check ebay
and get some SDA2's or 1's as your front left and right.
I have 1C's as my fronts and 2's as my rears with a 400i center
and they match very well. This setup is great for stereo music
and ht. There have been quite a few SDA's for sale on ebay and
the 2's are very reasonable.
Mike

jkratzer · May 2003

Brasil,

Option 2 speakers are the best match. The RTi38 and CSi40 have the same size drivers while the FXi30 surrounds have drivers that would match a CSi30 rear center.

The most important thing is to be sure to use a rat shack SPL meter to balance your speakers.

Need opinions on purchase of speakers?

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